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Project Solar Sail
Based on Clarke's concept of solar sailing, this anthology of tales and essays features the work of such authors as Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, and Poul Anderson
246 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1980
3 people are currently reading
172 people want to read
About the author
Arthur C. Clarke
1,655 books11.7k followersStories, works of noted British writer, scientist, and underwater explorer Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, include
2001: A Space Odyssey
(1968).
This most important and influential figure in 20th century fiction spent the first half of his life in England and served in World War II as a radar operator before migrating to Ceylon in 1956. He co-created his best known novel and movie with the assistance of Stanley Kubrick.
Clarke, a graduate of King's College, London, obtained first class honours in physics and mathematics. He served as past chairman of the interplanetary society and as a member of the academy of astronautics, the royal astronomical society, and many other organizations.
He authored more than fifty books and won his numerous awards: the Kalinga prize of 1961, the American association for the advancement Westinghouse prize, the Bradford Washburn award, and the John W. Campbell award for his novel Rendezvous with Rama. Clarke also won the nebula award of the fiction of America in 1972, 1974 and 1979, the Hugo award of the world fiction convention in 1974 and 1980. In 1986, he stood as grand master of the fiction of America. The queen knighted him as the commander of the British Empire in 1989.
This most important and influential figure in 20th century fiction spent the first half of his life in England and served in World War II as a radar operator before migrating to Ceylon in 1956. He co-created his best known novel and movie with the assistance of Stanley Kubrick.
Clarke, a graduate of King's College, London, obtained first class honours in physics and mathematics. He served as past chairman of the interplanetary society and as a member of the academy of astronautics, the royal astronomical society, and many other organizations.
He authored more than fifty books and won his numerous awards: the Kalinga prize of 1961, the American association for the advancement Westinghouse prize, the Bradford Washburn award, and the John W. Campbell award for his novel Rendezvous with Rama. Clarke also won the nebula award of the fiction of America in 1972, 1974 and 1979, the Hugo award of the world fiction convention in 1974 and 1980. In 1986, he stood as grand master of the fiction of America. The queen knighted him as the commander of the British Empire in 1989.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 30, 2011
If Project Solar Sail had been conceived today, it would be a website complete with hip-styled bloggers from NASA and also the science fiction community. There would be Twitter updates whenever the slightest new development occurred. And all of this content would be religiously linked to Facebook for the benefit of people who think that high-end media should come to them for free. However, in 1990 it still made sense to generate grassroots support by printing and selling a pocket book collection of fiction, poetry and essays by leading scientific writers.
Nevertheless, though Project Solar Sail is literarily a blast from the past, its content is even more relevant today. In the last year both NASA and JAXA (Japan’s space agency) have successfully deployed solar sail technology in space. And the Planetary Society, of which yours truly is a member, is in the build phase for a solar sail that could launch within the next year. Solar sailing as a means to traverse outer space is becoming a reality. So I would love to see this book catch on again.
In literary terms, this is not a classic from cover to cover. Some of the contributions are ordinary. Others are outstanding reads. In particular, I loved these two richly detailed and heartfelt entries: “To Sail Beyond the Sun”, a meditative poem by Ray Bradbury and Jonathan V. Post; also “Goodnight, Children”, a delightful and heartwarming yuletide tale with a galactic twist by Joe Clifford Faust. If you love Christmas, you’ll love this story even if you aren’t into science fiction.
Included essays about the political and economic ramifications for solar sailing are informative and worthy of review. But with fresh material available at NASA’s NanoSail-D webpage and the above mentioned Planetary Society, this book is no longer the best starting point for educating yourself about solar sails. I still think it’s worthy of a reprint or e-book edition. Somebody with publishing clout and venture capital get on this.
For space enthusiasts, there is a lot in this book to get excited about. I highly recommend seeking it out through used book dealers. However, if you are just considering getting into the sci-fi genre, I wouldn’t start here. Try an established classic like Carl Sagan’s Contact or Arthur C. Clarke’s 2001: A Space Odyssey . But then quickly get back to this book.
DISCLAIMER: This is not a full-length work by Arthur C. Clarke. He functioned as Editor and also as a headliner by contributing three pieces of his own.
Nevertheless, though Project Solar Sail is literarily a blast from the past, its content is even more relevant today. In the last year both NASA and JAXA (Japan’s space agency) have successfully deployed solar sail technology in space. And the Planetary Society, of which yours truly is a member, is in the build phase for a solar sail that could launch within the next year. Solar sailing as a means to traverse outer space is becoming a reality. So I would love to see this book catch on again.
In literary terms, this is not a classic from cover to cover. Some of the contributions are ordinary. Others are outstanding reads. In particular, I loved these two richly detailed and heartfelt entries: “To Sail Beyond the Sun”, a meditative poem by Ray Bradbury and Jonathan V. Post; also “Goodnight, Children”, a delightful and heartwarming yuletide tale with a galactic twist by Joe Clifford Faust. If you love Christmas, you’ll love this story even if you aren’t into science fiction.
Included essays about the political and economic ramifications for solar sailing are informative and worthy of review. But with fresh material available at NASA’s NanoSail-D webpage and the above mentioned Planetary Society, this book is no longer the best starting point for educating yourself about solar sails. I still think it’s worthy of a reprint or e-book edition. Somebody with publishing clout and venture capital get on this.
For space enthusiasts, there is a lot in this book to get excited about. I highly recommend seeking it out through used book dealers. However, if you are just considering getting into the sci-fi genre, I wouldn’t start here. Try an established classic like Carl Sagan’s Contact or Arthur C. Clarke’s 2001: A Space Odyssey . But then quickly get back to this book.
DISCLAIMER: This is not a full-length work by Arthur C. Clarke. He functioned as Editor and also as a headliner by contributing three pieces of his own.
February 28, 2009
A fine example of the pure mastery that was Arthur C Clarke. He left his mark on liturate with everyone of his stories and his spirit lives on through his life's work. Stimulating both scientists and dreamers he has had and will always have a profound impact on the way we view the universe around (and under) us.
December 14, 2019
Disque F para Frankenstein
No conto de Clarke, a história inicia-se algumas horas depois de se completar com êxito um novo sistema de satélites por triangulação, o qual permite, pela primeira vez, a cobertura planetária das comunicações telefônicas em tempo real.
"À 1h50, hora do meridiano de Greenwich, no dia 1 o de dezembro de 1975, todos os telefones do mundo começaram a tocar. Duzentos e cinquenta milhões de pessoas tiraram o fone do gancho para passar por alguns segundos de irritação ou perplexidade. (CLARKE, 1972, p. 127)
A trama prossegue para as primeiras falhas no sistema de telefonia. Cruzamentos bizarros de linhas e aviões voando de forma caótica, contas bancárias com saldos altíssimos, fornecimentos de água ou luz bloqueados, todos sintomas que levam diretamente para a conclusão mais lógica que o número de conexões telefônicas ultrapassou o de neurônios do cérebro humano e, assim, ganhou uma consciência, e seu primeiro berro foi o chamado em todos os terminais telefônicos, e agora, brinca travessa com as tecnologias humanas. As desgraças se sucedem, enquanto a Inteligência Artificial vai restringindo o acesso pelo controle da missão, até o ponto de bloquear totalmente o controle terrestre dos satélites, forjando assim um ser virtual, eternamente alimentado pelas baterias solares, e controlando as comunicações em todo o planeta. No final, o cientista principal do projeto parece não ter mais dúvidas:
"Williams se levantou devagar.
— Vamos voltar para o laboratório – sugeriu. – Deve haver alguma resposta por aí.
Sabia, porém, que era tarde, tarde demais. Para o Homo Sapiens, a campainha do telefone tinha dado o derradeiro sinal." (CLARKE, 1972, p. 140)
No conto de Clarke, a história inicia-se algumas horas depois de se completar com êxito um novo sistema de satélites por triangulação, o qual permite, pela primeira vez, a cobertura planetária das comunicações telefônicas em tempo real.
"À 1h50, hora do meridiano de Greenwich, no dia 1 o de dezembro de 1975, todos os telefones do mundo começaram a tocar. Duzentos e cinquenta milhões de pessoas tiraram o fone do gancho para passar por alguns segundos de irritação ou perplexidade. (CLARKE, 1972, p. 127)
A trama prossegue para as primeiras falhas no sistema de telefonia. Cruzamentos bizarros de linhas e aviões voando de forma caótica, contas bancárias com saldos altíssimos, fornecimentos de água ou luz bloqueados, todos sintomas que levam diretamente para a conclusão mais lógica que o número de conexões telefônicas ultrapassou o de neurônios do cérebro humano e, assim, ganhou uma consciência, e seu primeiro berro foi o chamado em todos os terminais telefônicos, e agora, brinca travessa com as tecnologias humanas. As desgraças se sucedem, enquanto a Inteligência Artificial vai restringindo o acesso pelo controle da missão, até o ponto de bloquear totalmente o controle terrestre dos satélites, forjando assim um ser virtual, eternamente alimentado pelas baterias solares, e controlando as comunicações em todo o planeta. No final, o cientista principal do projeto parece não ter mais dúvidas:
"Williams se levantou devagar.
— Vamos voltar para o laboratório – sugeriu. – Deve haver alguma resposta por aí.
Sabia, porém, que era tarde, tarde demais. Para o Homo Sapiens, a campainha do telefone tinha dado o derradeiro sinal." (CLARKE, 1972, p. 140)
December 24, 2024
This is The Planetary Society December Book Club selection. They will hold a podcast review on January 7, 2025. The classic Sci-Fi stories highlight the science behind solar sailing. Definitely a great read.
May 2, 2016
This is a collection of short stories, poems, and essays (non-fiction) focusing on solar-sail technology for space travel, edited by Arthur C. Clarke. Though published in 1990, these stories and essays are especially timely (or at least my reading of them was timely) given recent solar sail technology developments and tests carried out by the Planetary Society, along with Yuri Milner's recent announcement of proposals and plans to send a fleet of small robot spacecraft to Alpha Centauri using sails propelled by lasers.
December 5, 2016
Several good short stories and some interesting, though somewhat dated, non-fiction material about solar sails.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews